Halloween Party Appetizers:Pumpkin Cheese Ball

I also like to serve it with carrot and celery sticks, for a nutritious snack in the midst of all the Halloween sugar!

To simplify your work on the day of your Halloween party, make this in advance.

You can keep it in the fridge, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to a week.

Check that you have these staples at home

in the fridge or freezer

cream cheese

Cheddar cheese

onions

Buy these fresh ingredients

carrots

celery

broccoli

Get out your equipment

Essential

a mixing bowl

a spoon

a grater

a cutting board and sharp knife

plastic wrap

Nice to have but not necessary

a food processor for grating the cheese and mincing the vegetables

The recipe

1 package (9 oz/250 g) cream cheese, softened

2 cups/500 mL grated orange Cheddar cheese

2 Tbsp/30 mL finely chopped onion

2 Tbsp/30 mL finely chopped carrot

2 Tbsp/30 mL finely chopped celery

1 broccoli stalk

In a medium-sized bowl, beat the cream cheese with a spoon until smooth.

Add the grated cheese.Mix well.

Sprinkle in the onion, carrot and celery.Mix well.

Using your hands, form the mixture into a ball.Wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least an hour.

Just before serving, unwrap the ball.Cut and trim the broccoli stalk until it is the right size to be the pumpkin's stem.Insert it into the top of the ball.Using a blunt knife, draw vertical lines on the pumpkin.

Substitutions

Use medium or mild Cheddar cheese instead of sharp Cheddar.

Ideas for making this recipe your own

Use another hard cheese instead of Cheddar. How about trying mozzarella, or Swiss? (If you don't use orange cheese, of course, your pumpkin won't look so much like a pumpkin!)

What other diced vegetables could you add to the mix? How about diced red or green bell pepper?

Spice up the cheese ball by adding some hot sauce, or some minced hot pepper.

Experiment with different flavorings. Add some pressed garlic, or a dash of Worcestershire sauce.

Tips

Be sure to take the time to mince the vegetables very finely. If you don't have a food processor, a knife will work fine - as long as you are careful not to leave any big chunks.

Grate the cheese as finely as possible. (Some graters have holes of two or more sizes.) If all you have is as coarse grater, that's OK too!

If you enjoy this recipe, you may also like these other Halloween party appetizer recipes: